


Prostitutes in Three-Piece Suits

by PatL



Series: A Walk on the Dark Side [7]
Category: Starsky and Hutch - Fandom
Genre: A "Sweet Revenge" aftermath story, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-02-02
Updated: 2004-02-02
Packaged: 2017-10-09 01:08:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/81367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PatL/pseuds/PatL
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jonathan Welles is a slimy little letch, but Hell hath no fury like a woman pawed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Prostitutes in Three-Piece Suits

Madge Cunningham, Vega Lambert, and Natalie Jenkins sat in their break room, eating a snack and discussing their chaotic lives. To a casual observer, ten o'clock was an unusual time to take a break, but to the law clerks employed at Welles, Kelly, and Hodson, time held no meaning. To each of the young women, the lack of sleep was a hazard of their profession. If they were to succeed in one of the most competitive careers in the country, law school wasn't enough. The drudge work they performed now would earn them brownie points down the road.  
Madge picked up a chip and scooped up a generous helping of cheese dip. "You know, my mother told me that hard work and perseverance would help me succeed in life, but she never mentioned self defense as being a prerequisite. Of course, she never met anyone like Wandering Welles, either. I swear that man has more hands than an octopus."  
Natalie nodded emphatically. "You got that right. You have to have better moves than Mohammed Ali to avoid him. He's a firm believer in letting his fingers do the walking."  
Vega gulped her diet soda. "Did you hear what he did to Bethany? The poor kid's only been here for a few weeks and already she's had to play dodge the dick-head."  
Madge shook her head. "I haven't heard. What did he do?"   
"He cornered her in the copy room. Need I say more?"  
Natalie shook her head. "No, you don't. Damn that man, anyway! I guess I should have warned her, but I didn't think he'd move that fast. He usually gives the new ones a couple of weeks before he pounces on them. What did she do?"  
Vega arched an eyebrow. "She ran for the hills, what else? She's only in her second year of law school. She hasn't had any experience with creeps like Welles. You should have seen her! She was so upset, and was scared to death her husband would find out and make her quit. I don't have to tell you how hard it is to land a job with the good firms in town. And she's afraid that if she complains, the other firms will black-ball her."  
Madge hit the table with her fist. "She shouldn't have to quit, damn it! Welles is a pervert! This is one of the largest firms in the city. Why should she have to quit because he can't keep his hands to himself? Besides, I thought he was on his way out. Didn't he have something to do with that police officer getting shot? I figured he'd be disbarred by now."  
Vega nodded. "I thought he would, but I heard there were Federal judges involved, too. Maybe the dockets are so full that they haven't gotten around to him yet."  
Madge shrugged and started collecting their trash. "I have no idea, but I do know it's getting late. We all have a job to do, and rehashing this isn't going to stop good old Johnny from doing what he likes best. I'm going home, and I'll see you all in the morning."

The next morning, Madge was the first employee in the large suite of offices. Although all the clerks did work for the three main partners, Madge's favorite was Brian Kelly. The younger lawyer was the second partner in the firm, but he was the most genial and Madge loved working for him. Brian was a handsome man, and had no shortage of female companions. He didn't need Welles' underhanded behavior to impress a woman. The two had worked late many nights and Madge was never afraid for her safety or offended by Brian's behavior. She sighed. *If they would just kick Welles out, this firm would be the perfect place to work. Other companies have hostile takeovers, why can't this one?*  
A few minutes later, the other employees started trickling in. Secretaries, receptionists, and general staff all exchanged quiet greetings and smiles. Most of them would never know Welles' true personality. To them, he was the senior partner, the benevolent head of the firm. Madge didn't know if he thought the other employees were beneath him, which automatically meant they were off limits, or if he targeted the clerks because they had the most to lose if they complained. Either way, the majority of the people at the firm were blissfully unaware of the monster in their midst.  
Shortly before nine o'clock, the monster himself walked into the main lobby. As soon as Madge spotted him, she gathered the documents she was copying and started out the door. Unfortunately, it was too late. As she headed for the safety of Kelly's office, Welles stepped in front of her.  
"Good morning, Madge. I see you're here bright and early, as usual. If you have time after while, I'd like you to take some dictation for me. My secretary is in the process of moving and won't be back until Monday morning."  
Madge cursed under her breath while she pasted a smile on her face. "Of course, Mr. Welles, I'll try to make some time for you this morning. Mr. Kelly wants me to sit in on a deposition this afternoon."  
She tried not to flinch as he patted her shoulder. "Thank you so much. I promise I won't keep you long. I only have a few letters to dictate."  
As he said good bye and walked toward his office, Natalie Jenkins walked in, and the two crossed paths. Madge bit her lip when she saw what Natalie was wearing. Nat was a beautiful young woman, comfortable with her body. Even the modest suits she wore made her look like a supermodel. Today, she was wearing a simple red skirt with matching jacket, and a button down white blouse. Madge knew without actually seeing that Welles was raking his eyes over Nat's body. When he passed her, he slapped her on the back side.   
Welles laughed as she jumped and rubbed the area reflexively. "Good morning, Natalie. I love your outfit. You look so good in red."  
Madge stood beside Nat as they watched him walk away.  
Natalie glared at his back. "Why, you stinking little pervert! One of these days…"  
Madge clucked sympathetically. "Don't let him get to you, Nat. He thinks he's being cute."  
"Yeah, well, I can think of a dozen names for him, but cute isn't one of them."  
Madge watched Natalie as she escaped into the safety of Daniel Hodson's office, shaking her head. *If Johnny knew how many enemies he had around here, he wouldn't be so fast with his hands. One of these days, he's going to slap the wrong woman's ass, and then there'll be Hell to pay.*  
She shook herself and walked back to Kelly's office. She let Brian know that Welles needed her for a short time, and assured him that she would be back before it was time to take the deposition. Madge took a deep breath, preparing herself for the upcoming ordeal. Then, with pad and pen in hand, she knocked on Welles' door.   
The attorney was sitting behind his desk, the customary cigarette smoldering in the ash tray beside him. He looked up and smiled silkily at her.  
"Thanks again for helping me out, Madge. I know a lot of clerks think dictation is beneath them, but we all have to pull together in this office. If you'll have a seat, we'll get right to it."  
Madge wrote the letters he dictated down in her pad, keeping up with his rapid-fire dialogue easily. When she finished the last letter, Welles stubbed out his fifth cigarette and stood up.  
"Now, if you can get those to me by the end of the morning, I would appreciate it. Mary already has the envelopes addressed and ready to be mailed."  
"I'll get them to you before I sit in with Brian. His witness is due here by eleven."  
Welles walked with her to the door then stood with his hand on the door knob.  
"You're a real asset to us, Madge. Tell me, how's school going? You'll be graduating soon, won't you?"  
She nodded, trying to be friendly. "Yes, sir. If everything goes right, I'll be graduating in the fall. Then I can start studying for the bar exam."  
"Well, if you need any help, please don't hesitate to call. I think you'd be a good addition to the firm."  
He leered at her suggestively as he brushed the front of her jacket. As his hand ran over her breast, he squeezed the cloth.   
"I think you'll find that I can be a big help to your career."  
Madge glared at him. "I don't want your kind of help, Mr. Welles. And if you ever touch me again, you'll be in front of a review board before you can light another cigarette."  
Welles laughed sadistically. "And who do you think is going to believe you? I'm the senior partner in this firm. No one is going to take your word over mine, and if you are stupid enough to try something like that, you'll never work in a law office again. The only complaints you'll be hearing will be behind the counter in a department store."  
Madge shook her head. "One of these days, you're going to fall into something your status won't get you out of. You're nothing more than a miniature reprobate, and in case you haven't noticed, you've made a whole lot of enemies around here. If I were you, I'd be careful who I mauled."  
"Is that a threat, Madge baby?"  
She curled her lip. "No, Johnnie boy, that's a promise."  
"Oh, gee, I'm shaking in my boots. I just might lie awake all night tonight, worrying about that." He patted her cheek. "Then again, maybe I won't. That's all for now, Madge. Get those letters back to me as soon as possible, OK?"  
Madge yanked open the door as he moved away and stalked back to her small office. She was still fuming when Vega walked up to her desk.   
"Uh oh, what happened now? Let me guess, you just had another run-in with Welles, right?"  
"I hate that rotten little SOB! He thinks he's invincible because he's the head of this firm. He's nothing but a big frog in a little pond. I wish someone would come along and knock him off of his lily pad."  
Vega shrugged. "I don't think that's going to happen any time soon. But, we can always hope that whoever shot that police officer will implicate Welles. I wish I could remember the whole story, but I know I saw Johnny's name in there somewhere."  
"Well, if they need any help, I'd be more than willing. I'd love to see that little pervert in an orange jumpsuit. And just think of all the people he's defended that got convicted. I'm sure they'd welcome him with open arms."  
Vega laughed with her. "Now, I'd love to be a fly on a wall if that happens. Those cons just might teach him a thing or two about depravity."  
Madge looked down at the papers on her desk and sighed. "Well, we can always dream, can't we? All I know is, I'm going to get these letters back to him ASAP, and if he touches me again, he's going to be missing a couple of fingers."  
Vega walked to the door and turned back. "If he touches you again, let me know and I'll help. I'll see you later."  
Madge ran her fingers through her hair and put her face in her hands. As she remembered his hand squeezing her breast, she shuddered with revulsion. "Keep your hands off me, you slimy little shyster."  
She finished typing the letters and waited for Welles to leave his office before dropping them on his desk. *Whew! I'm glad that's over. I don't think I could stand seeing him again today.* With a final shake of her head, she went back to Brian Kelly's office.

Vega sat in the corner of Daniel Hodson's office and studied the research she'd gathered that morning. Hodson was the corporate lawyer in the firm, so most of his cases dealt with mergers, takeovers and expansions of the local businesses. This was right down Vega's alley, since she had been studying business law for the past three years. Perry Mason could represent all the innocent people he could find. Vega loved the challenge of helping new businesses start on the road to profitability. Engrossed in her research, Vega didn't look up when she heard someone enter the room. Then she heard the one voice she despised.  
"Oh, Vega, could you get me the research you did on the Banner Loan Company? They seem to have run into a few legal difficulties, and since Daniel is busy with that hostile takeover, I told him I would give him a hand."  
Vega set her reading aside and walked over to the filing cabinets in Daniel Hobson's office. She took out a thick manila folder and handed it to Welles. She bit her lip as he took the folder, running his fingers over hers in the process.  
He looked at the file and shook his head. "This is very large. You must have done a lot of research on the company. I don't think I'll have enough time to study the whole file before their court date. I'll need you to write a brief of the case and get it to me before tomorrow afternoon."  
Vega protested. "There's no way I can get it written that fast! I'm helping Mr. Hodson with his case, and I already have a brief to do for him and a deposition to type up. Besides, tonight is my anniversary, and my husband is taking me to dinner. I couldn't possibly get it to you before Monday."  
His eyes narrowed behind his glasses. "That simply won't do. I'll have one of the other clerks type the brief for Daniel so you can start right away on this one. If you aren't finished before you go to your dinner, you can come back and work on it tonight."  
He moved closer to her and touched her sleeve. "I can keep you company, if you're afraid to be here by yourself."  
Vega took a step back. "No, that's OK. Most of the other clerks stay late, too, so I won't be alone. I'll put the brief on your desk when I'm finished."  
Welles reached out and stroked her hair. "You know, I can be very helpful when it comes time to take the bar exam. Daniel may be the expert on business law, but I've dealt with several large companies myself. And when it comes time for you to look for a position, I could write a strong letter of recommendation for you."  
Vega pushed his hand away. "No, thank-you. Mr. Hodson has already offered and his price wouldn't be nearly as high as the one you would expect."  
Welles scowled at her. "Daniel isn't the head of this firm. I am. Business law is very competitive. A good reference or a bad one can make or break you. You'd do well to remember that."  
She glared at him. "Is that a threat? What do you think your pals at the Bar Association would say if they heard you? I don't think they would go against the Labor Board, but you already know all about that, don't you? How many other clerks have complained about you in the past?"  
The attorney sneered at her. "None that are working now, I assure you. Give it up, Vega dear. You're out of your league. Unless you have a camera and a tape recorder, you won't be able to prove a thing. But, that's all right. If you don't want my help, I'm sure someone will come along that will. I expect to see the complete brief on my desk by ten o'clock tomorrow morning. Oh, enjoy your anniversary dinner, my dear. Daniel takes such good care of his clerks. I'm afraid you won't be so lucky with your next employer."  
Vega watched him as he walked away. "Kiss my ass, you slimy little creep. Hell will freeze over before I crawl into bed with you."

Bethany Rawlings sat in the corner of the company break room, eating her lunch. She sat with her back to the wall and watched everyone coming and going into the room. The small room had three tables, a refrigerator and a small, one burner hot plate. If you wanted a break from the relentless energy of the firm, this small oasis was the place to go, especially if you ate your lunch between the hours of one and two. Most clerks grabbed a quick bite while their bosses were doing power lunches at the posh restaurants down the street. This is where they gathered to exchange information on the myriad cases that flowed through the firm, and to vent about the never-ending drudge work that was heaped on their shoulders. The mantra of "we'll be happy we did this when we graduate" echoed in the room all hours of the day. Let the senior partners have their three martini lunches. The break room belonged to the peons.  
Bethany ate her deli ham sandwich, exchanged office gossip with the other clerks, and then cleaned up after herself when her thirty minutes were over. She was washing her hands in the small sink when she heard the door close behind her. She wore a welcoming smile as she turned around, but the smile quickly disappeared when she saw who had entered the room. She tried to hide her discomfort as she backed against the sink. The horrible experience she'd suffered just two nights ago came crashing back when she saw the smirk on Jonathan Welles' face.  
"Good afternoon, Beth. You're looking especially lovely today. Did you enjoy your lunch? I'm afraid I spent mine at my desk, trying to put a defense together for a very naughty client."  
Bethany dried her hands on a paper towel and walked toward the door. She stopped as he blocked her path.   
"I have to get back to work now."  
Welles smiled coyly. "What's your hurry? My illustrious partners are still wining and dining their clients. They won't be back for another hour at least."  
"I have some work to finish for Mr. Kelly. He needs it as soon as he gets back."  
She took a step to the side, but he moved with her. "You're not still angry about the other night, are you? I assure you, I meant no harm. You're a beautiful young lady and I'm afraid my poor lonely heart couldn't resist your siren song."  
Bethany stood her ground. "I'm married, Mr. Welles. I told you that the first time we met. I'm not interested in anything but a professional relationship. I'd appreciate it if you'd keep your hands to yourself in the future."  
He held his hands up, wiggling his fingers. "My hands are right here, Beth. I swear they won't touch you, unless you want them to. I can be a very powerful ally, my dear. I can introduce you to people that will accelerate your career immeasurably."  
Against her better judgment, Bethany couldn't resist asking, "Who?"  
Welles leered at her and took a step closer, motioning with his hands. "I could introduce you to Mr. Woody."  
"Who? Oh, my God!"   
Bethany recoiled when her eyes followed his hands. The zipper on his tailored slacks was open, and he was holding himself in one hand. When she saw his erection, something inside her snapped.  
"You know, if that was all I had, I don't think I'd be so quick to pull it out." Her eyes flashed as she descended on him. "Now you listen to me, you disgusting little pervert! I am here to work, not to be the target of your misguided seductions. I haven't buried my nose in books every waking minute for the past two years just to be ran off by your pathetic fascination with your own body parts. From now on, you will treat me with the respect I deserve, or I will personally see to it that you lose something very near and dear to you. Do I make myself clear?"  
Welles flushed with anger. "Who do you think you are, you little bitch? I started this firm with only a couple of clients and made it into what it is today. I've made a name for myself in this city and I've made some very powerful and influential friends. If you so much as whisper the hint of a complaint, you'll find yourself not only out of a job, but out of a career as well."  
Bethany arched an eyebrow. "Is that so? You're not the only one in this firm that has contacts, Welles. And the type of friends your kind makes have been known to turn on weasels like you at the first sign of trouble. In fact, you're in a bit of hot water now, aren't you? I'd think you'd want to keep a low profile right now. A sexual harassment law suit should be the last thing that you'd want. So, why don't you go crawl back under a rock and leave me alone?"  
Welles sputtered and cursed under his breath as she towered over him in defiance. Mustering the last vestiges of his dignity, he put his deflated penis back in his pants and zipped them up then stalked out of the room. He turned back and pointed a finger at her.  
"This isn't over, bitch. Bet on it."

Later that evening, Vega, Nat and Madge goggled at Bethany as she recounted her confrontation with Welles. The three law clerks laughed so hard they cried.  
Madge wiped the tears from her eyes and shook her head in amazement. "I've got to hand it to you, Beth. As much as I hate that little weasel, I wouldn't have had the guts to stand up to him like that. Girl, it's a shame that you didn't have a video camera with you! I'd pay to see the look on his face when you knocked him off his pedestal."  
Bethany shook her head. "I really didn't mean to attack him like that. I was furious that he would proposition me right in the middle of the break room, so I said the first thing that came into my mind. I guess I might as well pack my things. He's not going to forget what I said to him, or let it go. If I want to stay in law school, I'll have to transfer to Antarctica, and even that might be too close to Bay City."  
Vega laid her hand on Bethany's arm. "Don't let him scare you away, kid. You did the right thing. He's been preying on us long enough. It's time someone put a stop to it. If he tries anything, let us know and we'll go to the Labor Board with you. Welles is nothing but a slut in a designer suit. He's not above the law, even if he thinks he is."  
"Thanks, Vega, but I don't want to take any of you down with me. I got myself into this and I'll get myself out." She stood up and rubbed her hand over her eyes. "I can feel a killer migraine coming on, so if you'll excuse me, I think I'll go home now. Thank God Richie is out of town. He can read me like a book and if I told him what happened, he'd be at Welles doorstep before sun up. A whole platoon of body guards couldn't keep him from tearing that little weasel apart."  
Madge stood up and put her arm around Beth's shoulders. "Try not to worry, honey. These things have a way of working themselves out. Welles might not be the threat you think he is. I have a feeling that everything will work out real soon."  
Bethany smiled wistfully. "I hope so, Madge. Despite Welles, I was really starting to like it here."  
The three older women walked down to the lobby with her. Madge gave her a hug.   
"Go home and get some sleep, Beth. All this will look better in the morning."

On Monday morning, Mary Peterson walked through the large lobby and took the elevator to Jonathan Welles' office. The past four days had been long ones. Mary had been on the list for a rent controlled apartment for over two years, so when the call finally came that one was vacant, she'd called Welles and begged for the rest of the week off. She'd thrown her belongings in plastic bags and card board boxes and made countless trips to her new home. The small apartment was still in a shambles, but at least every thing was moved. Now it was Monday morning, and though she longed to be home, organizing her kitchen and unpacking the rest of her things, it was time to get back to work. Mr. Welles had been kind enough to muddle through a week without her. To pay him back for his kindness, Mary came into work two hours early, planning to get everything organized and filed away before her boss came in at nine.  
The lobby was still empty, so she went up to her desk and started right to work. By nine o'clock, the correspondence that had accumulated in her absence was stacked and waiting for his perusal and a fresh pot of coffee simmered in the pot. After finishing her own cup of coffee, Mary gathered the mail and walked into his office. She blinked when she saw him sitting in his chair. At first glance, she thought he was asleep. *Oh, you poor man! What did you do, work all night long? You are much too dedicated.*  
The dim lighting in the room made him look like a little boy sitting behind his daddy's desk. She didn't want to wake him up, so she left the lights down low as she walked toward him, her heels sinking down into the rich carpet. As she got closer, she frowned. Something about the way he was sitting just didn't look right. *He's going to have a stiff neck when he wakes up. Why didn't he recline the chair? His mouth is open but he's not snoring, and why didn't he take his glasses off? He must have been exhausted!* The light from the bar reflected wetness on his shirt, but she didn't want to turn the overhead lights on to see what it was. She walked up to the desk to get a good look and gasped when she realized what it was. *Oh, my God, it's blood! Did he hurt himself?* Still more concerned than frightened; she leaned over the desk and flipped the small switch that turned the main lights on. When she saw the gaping wound under his chin, she dropped the mail and screamed.

Detectives David Starsky and Ken Hutchinson pushed their way through the crowd of spectators standing in the hallway and walked into Jonathan Welles' office. The victim was still in his chair, his head thrown back against the brown cloth. Blood from the gaping wound in his throat had pooled in the chair and dripped to the plush gold carpet, turning it a horrid green. Welles' eyes were staring up at the ceiling through his black horn-rimmed glasses and his hands flopped loosely over the arms of the chair.   
Hutch walked further into the room to get a better look at the corpse, carefully avoiding the blood stain on the carpet. Welles' mouth was open, and for a moment, the blond detective thought his tongue was hanging out. He bent closer then straightened convulsively and put a hand to his own mouth as he realized the truth. The color drained from his face and he turned away, struggling to keep his stomach from emptying its contents.   
Starsky shot a questioning look at Hutch then took a few steps closer to the body. He gave a small grunt of disgust and grimaced when he saw what had caused his partner's reaction. Apparently not satisfied with a simple homicide, the killer had mutilated the victim and shoved his penis in his mouth. Starsky shook his head and looked at his partner.   
"I hope he was dead before that little adventure. It hurts me just to look at him. One thing's for sure: somebody was pretty damned pissed at him."  
"You got that right." Hutch turned to the police photographer. "Get some Polaroid's while we're waiting for the coroner. Then put someone on the door. I don't want anyone going in or out of this room."  
The photographer nodded and went to work. Hutch walked over to the uniformed officers guarding the door.  
"Who found him?"  
The officer motioned with his head. "His secretary did. She said she came in early this morning, but didn't go into his office right away. She spent the last five days moving and wanted to catch up on her work before he got here. She was going to put the mail on his desk so he could work on it and saw him sitting in the chair. She said she thought he was asleep at first, until she noticed the blood. One of the other secretaries heard her screaming and came to investigate. They closed the door right away and called the police from the secretary's phone. No one else has been in there, and the secretary says she didn't touch anything, except the mail."  
Starsky nodded. "OK, where is she?"  
The officer pointed to the left. "She's in there. It's Daniel Hodson's office. There's a female officer with her."  
Starsky and Hutch walked into the next office. Hutch stopped as he saw the distraught woman sitting on a small couch. He glanced at Starsky then walked over and sat down next to her.  
"Ms. Peterson, do you remember me? I'm Sergeant Ken Hutchinson, with the BCPD."  
She dabbed her eyes with a Kleenex and looked up at him. After a few moments, she frowned and nodded.  
"I remember you. You tried to get Mr. Welles in trouble, and he said you were very rude to him. I hope you're happy now. Somebody killed him!"  
Hutch flashed back to the first time he saw the offices of Welles, Kelly, and Hodson. Welles had been implicated in the attempted hit on Starsky, and had bailed Jenny Brown out of jail. The blond detective had come to the office looking for the identity of Starsky's attacker, but ran into a brick wall with Welles. He remembered their last words to each other.  
*"I'm afraid we have nothing further to discuss, Detective."  
"No, but I do want to thank you for clearing up one thing for me."  
"Oh, what is that?"  
"My confusion about prostitutes. Now I know the high priced ones can also wear three piece suits."*  
The blond detective kept his voice gentle, but firm. "Ms. Peterson, I know you think your boss was a wonderful human being, but there are things you don't know about him. Are you aware that he was facing indictment from a Federal Grand Jury for conspiracy to commit murder? This firm represented several subsidiaries of Gunther Industries, and Mr. Gunther has been convicted of serious crimes. When I came here that day, I was investigating the shooting of a police officer. Jonathan Welles was linked to the person that paid for the hit. Now, we're trying to find the person that killed him. The two could be related. So, it would be in your best interest, and your boss's, to cooperate with us."  
Mary drummed her fingers on the arm of her chair. "I don't know anything about that. I never saw Mr. Gunther. I was simply Mr. Welles' secretary. I took his phone calls and typed letters for him. I can't understand why anybody would want to kill him! If he was so horrible, why didn't you put him in jail?"  
Hutch shook his head. "It wasn't up to us. After Gunther was convicted, the Feds took jurisdiction. If we think he was murdered because of his involvement with Gunther, we'll have to turn the investigation over to the Feds. But until then, it's our case. We need you to be truthful with us and to tell us everything you know. Can you do that?"  
Mary looked around the room at the other officers then nodded. "I'll try. What do you want to know?"  
Hutch breathed a sigh of relief then looked at Starsky. The brunet took over the questioning.  
"You told the officers that you came in early today. Can you tell us what time that was?"  
"I got here exactly at seven o'clock. Mr. Welles gave me most of last week off so I could move into my new apartment. I came in early to catch up on my work."  
"Did you see anyone go in or come out of Mr. Welles' office?"  
She shook her head. "No, I didn't see anyone at all. Most of the other people come to work between eight and nine. I was counting on the peace and quiet to catch up before Mr. Welles got here. It gets pretty hectic around here after everyone comes in."  
Starsky checked his notes. "And you didn't go into the office until around nine, right?"  
"Uh huh. I had finished going through the mail and wanted to put it on his desk. I had a fresh pot of coffee made, but I didn't take a cup in because Mr. Welles liked to pour his own."  
"And you said that you thought he was just asleep when you saw him?"  
She nodded again, tears glistening in her eyes. "The lights were dimmed and I just thought he'd pulled an all-nighter, until I saw all the blood. I knew then that he was dead."  
"This is very important, Ms. Peterson. Did you touch anything at all in the office?"  
She shook her head vehemently. "No! I dropped the mail then I started screaming. Julie Fort, Mr. Hodson's secretary, heard me and ran into the office. She pulled me away and we called the police from the telephone on my desk."  
Starsky thought for a moment. "Was it usual for Mr. Welles to work all night?"  
"No, he's worked very late occasionally, but I don't remember him ever staying all night long. That's why I was so surprised to see him here."  
"Do you remember seeing anything unusual when you came in this morning? Was anything out of place, or missing?"  
Mary was quiet for several minutes. "I don't think so. The whole place seemed deserted. I didn't see anyone at all, and I know there wasn't anything missing from my desk."  
Hutch asked a question that had been on his mind. "Was Mr. Welles in the habit of leaving his door unlocked?"  
She nodded. "I was always cautioning him about that, but he said the main doors to the firm were locked and so were the entrances to the building. He said there was no need to keep his office locked. The whole staff was accustomed to going in and out of his office throughout the day. If he locked his door, he would have to get up a hundred times to let them in."  
"So, it was common knowledge that his door wasn't locked."  
"Yes. Very few of the inner doors are locked during the day, and a lot of them stay unlocked all the time. We've never had any problems with break-ins or anything like that. We don't keep many valuables here, and what we do keep is locked in a safe."  
Starsky walked to the door and looked out at the people milling around in the hall.   
"Who would have the most contact with Mr. Welles on a typical day?"  
Mary shrugged exasperatedly. "Everyone had contact with everyone! This place is like Grand Central Station most days. I have an appointment book that I use for his meetings with clients, but I could never remember all of the people that passed through this office on a given day. If Mr. Welles was on the phone, or in a meeting, his door would be closed. Otherwise, it stayed open and there was a steady stream of traffic in and out of his office."  
Starsky grimaced. "OK, then could you tell me who spent the most time with him?"  
Mary sighed. "I guess the law clerks would. They work for all three partners and are constantly coming and going."  
"How many are there?"  
"At the present time, we have four. There were seven but three of them graduated law school last semester and are in the process of taking their bar exams."  
"Do you know if they're here today?"  
"They should be. Their schedules are even worse than mine. I can give you their names, if you'd like."  
Starsky gave her his notebook and pen. "Just jot them down there, and we'll see if we can find them. You've been very helpful, Ms. Peterson. You can go home now, if you'd like. If we have any more questions, we'll be in touch."  
She handed the notebook and pen back then stood up. "Thank-you, Detective. I would like to go home. It's been a horrible, tragic morning. I hope you find the person that did this. I know you won't believe this, but Mr. Welles was a wonderful boss and I'm going to miss him very much."  
Starsky and Hutch watched her leave then Hutch turned to his partner.   
"I wonder if she would have been as cooperative if she knew you were the cop that Gunther tried to hit."  
"Probably not, which is why you didn't tell her, I take it."  
Hutch simply shrugged and took the notebook out of Starsky's hands. He read the names she had written down.  
"Let's get these clerks together and see what they know about our recently departed mouth piece. I'm curious to see if they thought as much of him as Ms. Peterson did."  
They walked to the hallway and Starsky called out the names in his notebook. The four clerks raised their hands in response.  
Starsky moved closer to them. "OK, ladies, let's go into Ms. Peterson's office so we can talk."  
After they were gathered around the secretary's desk, Starsky started the questions again.  
"Let's start by introducing yourselves, so we know who is who."  
The four women responded with their names.   
"That's good. Now, can each of you tell me the last time you saw Mr. Welles?"  
Vega, Madge, Nat and Bethany all replied that they had talked to him the day before.  
Hutch scratched his head. "So, none of you saw him after eight o'clock last night?"  
The four shook their heads. Vega piped up. "We usually work later than that, but we had a very busy day, and decided to take off early. I didn't see him at all after dinner, which would have been around six o'clock. I was in Mr. Hodson's office most of the afternoon."  
"And none of you saw or heard anything unusual before you left?"  
Madge shook her head. "We finished up our work for the day and met in the break room for a soda before we left the building. People were trickling out slowly. I'm afraid our work day doesn't end at five o'clock like normal businesses. We've stayed as late as ten or eleven and there were other people still in the building when we left."  
Starsky frowned. "So, you're saying that anyone could come and go as they pleased and no one would notice?"  
Madge tilted her head. "The main lobby has security and you have to sign in and out, but it's not exactly Fort Knox around here. Most of the businesses don't require passes or identification cards. The exits to the building are locked after seven, and the alarms are activated, but the only exit that has a twenty-four hour guard is the main one. If someone wanted in bad enough, they could get in."  
Starsky muttered under his breath. "Terrific." Then he changed the direction of his questions.  
"Ms. Peterson was very upset by what happened. She said Mr. Welles was a wonderful boss. Do you ladies agree?"  
All four women laughed uproariously, shaking their heads. Starsky gave his partner a wry look.  
"I'll take that as a 'no'. So, what was he really like?"  
Madge curled her lip. "He was a pervert."  
Vega nodded. "He was a slimy little creep."  
Nat agreed. "He was a disgusting little letch."  
Bethany shuddered. "He was a reprobate with delusions of grandeur."  
Hutch raised an eyebrow. "Don't hold back, ladies. Tell us how you really feel."  
Madge shrugged. "Welles thought he was God's gift to women. He targeted the clerks because we have the most to lose. If you refused to do the horizontal mambo with him, he threatened you."  
Starsky frowned. "How did he threaten you?"  
Madge lowered her voice, mimicking Welles. "If you dare file a complaint against me, I'll see that you never work in a reputable law firm again." She went on in her natural voice. "He was always saying that. We've had male clerks before, and he was always encouraging and helpful toward them. But let a woman walk through the door, and he immediately turned into Don Juan."  
"Did you ever complain to the other partners?"  
Bethany shook her head reluctantly. "We just tried to stay out of his way. If there was any one else around, he was the perfect gentleman. So, we made sure that we were never alone with him for very long. If this was a private practice, we wouldn't have stayed, but Mr. Kelly and Mr. Hodson are very talented attorneys and we can learn a lot from them. When I first started, Mr. Hodson hinted that Welles had some eccentricities, but he never came right out and said he was a letch. I have the feeling they knew, but didn't pursue it because they were afraid of a scandal. So they looked out for us the best they could."  
Hutch looked steadily at them. "I take it that he made unwanted advances on all of you?"  
They nodded, fidgeting uncomfortably.  
"Did any of you ever quarrel with him?"  
Bethany slowly raised her hand. "I did. He cornered me in our break room yesterday and made some very lewd suggestions. It was the second time that he came on to me, and I'm afraid I just snapped." She lifted her head in defiance. "I told him that I was here to learn, not to be accosted by the likes of him. I told him exactly what I thought of him, but he just laughed like he always did. He made it plain that he wasn't afraid of me then just walked out the door. I ran back to Mr. Kelly's office and stayed there the rest of the day. I told Madge, Nat, and Vega about it before I left last night because I was still upset. I've always wanted to be a lawyer and I was afraid he really would get me fired."  
Hutch nodded. "I can understand why you were upset. What did you do after you left?"  
"I went home and called my grandfather. He helped me get the job and when I told him about Welles propositioning me, he was furious. He swore that he didn't know Welles was like that or he'd never gotten me the job. We talked for a while and then I went to bed."  
Starsky looked at his notes again. "You're married, right? Did you tell your husband?"  
She shook her head vehemently. "Are you kidding? If Richie found out, he'd make me quit in a heartbeat. I didn't want to start all over and I was afraid that I wouldn't find a position with another firm. I begged grandfather not to tell him, either. He said he wouldn't if I promised to file formal charges if Welles tried anything again. I said I would, although we both knew it wouldn't do any good."  
"And you didn't come back here after that?"  
"No! I locked up my apartment and went to bed. Richie called me about 11:30 last night and we talked for about an hour. He's due home this afternoon. You can ask him about it if you want to."  
Starsky closed his notebook and put it in his pocket. "I think that's all for now, ladies. If we have any more questions, we'll be in touch. And if you can think of anything else that will help, please don't hesitate to call. Oh, I guess we don't have to tell you not to leave town."  
Madge arched her eyebrow. "Why would we want to leave town? This job just got a whole lot better."  
As each of the clerks left, they stopped at Welles' office door and took a final look at the attorney.  
Madge studied the body in the chair. "Ding dong, the wicked letch is dead. I don't think your status will get you out of this one, Johnny boy."  
Nat grinned at the body and turned half-way around. She slapped herself on the rear and then blew him a kiss. "Kiss this, sweetheart."  
Vega looked in and put a hand to her ear. "What's that, Mr. Welles? You need a fifty page brief typed up by tonight? Sorry, no can do. I have a date with my hubby and you know how he hates to be kept waiting."  
Bethany was the last one to view the body. She shook her head slowly as she looked at the object in his mouth. "Well, you know what they say. Anything more than a mouthful is a waste."  
Starsky and Hutch stood there, stunned, as the procession slowly made their way out of the room. Starsky rubbed his face and turned to his partner.  
"Well, which one do you think did it?"  
Hutch ran long fingers through his hair. "Any, all or none of the above." He turned to gaze at his friend. "Now ask me if I care."  
"You're never going to let it go, are you?"  
Hutch paced agitatedly around the room. "Why should I, Starsk? Jonathan Welles knew what he was doing when he bailed Jenny Brown out of jail. By the time I got back with Gunther, she disappeared. I'd bet the farm that he knew where she went, if he didn't help her get there personally. If the counselor had lived, he'd be in front of the Grand Jury in a few weeks. He was a slimy little shyster that was in Gunther's back pocket for God knows how long. I'm a cop. I'll do my job and find out who murdered the sick son of a bitch, but don't expect me to be sorry that he's dead. As far as I'm concerned, when we do find who did it, we should pin a medal on them instead of putting them in prison. They just saved the tax payers a whole lot of time and money."  
Starsky laid a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I guess I can understand where you're coming from. I know you don't want to put any of those women in prison, but if one of them did kill Welles, what they did was as wrong as what he did to them. They could have formed a united front and went after him the legal way."  
He gazed through the door at the dead man. "Besides, like you said, his death could be related to that mess with Gunther. The old man could have given Welles the kiss of death before you went after him, but didn't have the chance to go through with it."  
Hutch nodded and shrugged. "Well, if that's the direction this case takes, we can turn the whole mess over to the Feds and go on with our day. As much as I'd like that to happen, I think we'll find out that Welles simply met his match, finally."  
Starsky sighed. "You're probably right. Well, this ain't getting us any where. The coroner should be finished by now. Let's turn the scene over to the lab boys and get out of here."  
"You don't have to tell me twice. Lead on, Mac Duff."  
Hutch took a final look at the body. "I sure nailed it when I called you a prostitute, didn't I, Welles? As far as I'm concerned, you got what you deserved."

Three weeks later, they were no closer to finding the person responsible for Welles' murder. Each of the four law clerks had iron clad alibis, and no one else in the firm admitted to carrying a grudge against the lawyer. The two detectives were beginning to believe the hit was ordered by someone connected to Gunther, but were unable to prove it. Captain Dobey called them into his office that morning, asking for an update.  
Starsky spread his hands out. "We've got nada, Cap. There were so many finger prints in that office that the lab said it was impossible to separate them. We found the knife that was used, but it was wiped clean. The blood on the blade matched Welles', so we know it's the murder weapon, but that's all we know."  
Dobey frowned. "What about those law clerks? Have you gotten any more information out of them?"  
Hutch shrugged. "They all admit to despising the scumbag, but swear they didn't have anything to do with his death. All their alibis check out. We even checked out Richie Rawlings. He swears that he didn't know anything about Welles until after he was murdered. We've gone through the video tapes of the main entrance for that night, but like the clerks said, the building isn't that secure. We've got the secretary going over the tapes for between nine and eleven that night to see if she recognizes anyone, but we aren't holding our breath."  
"Do you think it's possible this was a professional hit?"  
Hutch shook his head. "My gut tells me it isn't. A professional would have used the knife, but he wouldn't have mutilated the body. The ME says that was done after Welles died, so that tells me the hit was personal. Somebody hated that little creep and wanted the whole world to know what he thought of him."  
Before Dobey could ask another question, the phone rang.  
"Dobey."  
He listened to the voice on the other end. "Yeah, he's here. Do you need to talk to him? Oh, really? Yeah, I'll tell him. We'll get back to you."  
He put the receiver back on its cradle and gazed at Hutch. "That was the warden. Gunther wants to talk to you."  
Hutch narrowed his eyes. "There isn't anything that man could say that I would want to hear."  
"He says it's about Welles."  
An hour later, they were on their way to the penitentiary. They signed in and went to the building where Gunther was housed. Starsky stopped the blond with a hand on his chest.  
"You don't have to do this, you know."  
"Yes I do. If Gunther knows about the hit, that means he paid for it, or at least set it up. And that means we turn the whole thing over to the Feds."  
"What if he's just stringing you along?"  
Hutch looked exasperated. "Why would he do that, Starsky? He's not going to try anything in a Federal Pen. If he wanted me dead, he'd just put out a contract on me and sit back and watch."  
"He's crazy, Hutch. He loves to manipulate people. The scum knows how much you hate him, so he might be using Welles as a way to rattle your chain."  
"Then that's a chance I'll have to take. I want to hear what he has to say."  
They stopped in front of the main gate and waited for the guard to let them in. Two armed guards escorted them to Gunther's cell block and waited for the gate to open. As Starsky started through, Hutch held up a hand.  
"Oh, no you don't. You stay right here. I'm not letting you get anywhere near Gunther."  
Starsky protested. "Hutch, the man's in prison. He's unarmed and there'll be a guard right outside the room. He can't hurt me now."  
"I don't care. I'm going in alone and that's that. You can wait here, or in the car. It's your choice."  
Starsky grumbled under his breath. "Fine, I'll wait for you by the guard's station. But, you be careful, damn it. He's just crazy enough to try something in front of the guards. Don't trust him for a minute."  
"I won't, buddy. I haven't forgotten how many people he's killed. I won't be long."  
The guard let Hutch in the room then went to get Gunther. A few minutes later, the felon entered the small room. A small table with a chair on each side sat in the middle of the room. The two men stood silently for a time, looking each other over.  
Gunther spoke first. "Good evening, Detective Hutchinson. It's nice to see you again."  
"I'm not in the mood for small talk, Gunther. You said you had something to tell me about Welles. What is it?"  
The older man smiled. "Straight to the point, as always, eh Detective? Very well, I'll get right to it. I know who killed Jonathan Welles and why."  
"OK, I'll bite. Who killed him?"  
Gunther waved an admonishing finger. "Not so fast, Detective. I'd like to tell my story in my own words, if you don't mind."  
Hutch sat on one side of the small table and motioned for Gunther to sit on the other.  
"I'm all ears."  
Gunther sat down. "I'm glad we can be civilized with each other, Detective. Now, on with my story. Bethany is the granddaughter of a very good friend of mine. When William told me that she was in law school and was looking for a job as a clerk, I sent her to Jonathan Welles. I knew of his propensity for beautiful young women, but I thought the fact that she was married would deter him, not to mention that I was a friend of the family. When William came to visit me a few weeks ago, he was furious. Bethany had called him the night Welles made advances toward her and she was very upset about it. When he found out that it was the second time, he wanted to go down to the firm and confront Jonathan himself. William is sixty years old and not in good health. I felt responsible because I had gotten Bethany the job, so I told him I would take care of it. And I did."  
"So you put out a contract on Welles. Who actually killed him?"  
Gunther smiled and shook his head. "I won't give you that bit of information, Detective. It wouldn't do you any good, anyway. The person I hired is out of the country and is somewhere safe, away from the threat of extradition. I'll sign a statement admitting my part in the murder, but I won't implicate anyone else. I've already been sentenced to life imprisonment, so one more homicide won't make that much difference."  
He sat back and gazed at the blond detective. "Consider it a freebie, for old time's sake. Besides, I didn't want you to think Bethany or any of her co-workers was responsible for the murder. They certainly had enough reason to kill the man, but they're much too civilized to go through with it."  
"I see. So, the mutilation was a message, correct? You wanted the clerks to know why he was murdered."  
"Exactly. Jonathan Welles was a despicable human being. He preyed on beautiful young women and used his status to intimidate them. He could have scarred Bethany emotionally for life, but didn't care. Killing the bastard wasn't enough. I thought the punishment should fit the crime."  
He got up and walked to the door. After he knocked on it, he turned back to Hutch.  
"I'll give my statement to the warden and sign it. He'll have it on your desk by tomorrow evening. Good day, Detective. It was nice seeing you again. And, give my regards to Detective Starsky. You two have been formidable opponents. I look forward to matching wits with you again, in the future."  
Hutch stared as Gunther was escorted from the room. "In your dreams, punk."  
He ran a hand over his face then walked back to Starsky. The brunet looked at him quizzically.  
"Well, what did he say?"  
"He admitted to putting the contract out on Welles. He said he did it as a favor to Bethany's grandfather. The perp that actually took Welles out is long gone, though. According to Gunther, he's sunning himself on some island out of our reach."  
"Do you believe him?"  
"Considering everything else he's done, damn right I believe him."  
Hutch stared thoughtfully in the direction of Gunther's cell then shook himself. He turned to his best friend.  
"Come on; let's go home."


End file.
